1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of toy devices, and more particularly relates to a toy for a child to play with by combining parts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a variety of prior art toy devices where a plurality of pieces are connected together by the child to provide some object or design. In general such devices include erector and construction sets where typically the pieces are connected together by nuts and bolts, and other types of mechanical interconnections such as snap or friction fit. Such toys tend to be too sophisticated and difficult to use by younger preschool-age children.
Further, such prior art construction devices often involve small pieces which are not suitable for younger children because they are difficult to grab and manipulate and also because they may provide a risk of being swallowed by the child.
For younger children there are toys available and in the prior art where multipieces may be put together and taken apart by the child at a very simple level, however they tend to avoid the use of any interconnecting or interlocking means which would be too difficult for such younger children. As an example, there is a toy device which includes a base having an upright post and a plurality of rings of varying sizes that the child can stack on the post. Nothing holds the rings onto the post however, so that if the toy is tilted or inverted everything simply comes apart.